Lapel buttons for promotional purposes that are worn by sales, clerical or other personnel are known. For example, AVIS' "We Try Harder" button is well known. There is presently no known device that can be similarly worn, is light emissive so as to attract attention from a distance, provides a moving display so that significant information is presented while the attention is naturally drawn to word motion, and can be programmed to allow short term change of the promotional message.
Moving message displays are included in vending machines, are used for displaying rapidly changing stock and bond prices, and are supported high above street level to announce events, for example. Such displays are commonly large to enhance readability, and consequently, are also quite bulky.
Wearable displays are known for amusement purposes. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,191 discloses a jacket with programmable lights in which apertures are provided over the surface of the jacket that allow tri-color light emitting diodes to protrude. The lights are programmable as to both their color and pattern of activation. The patterns of activation are abstract and cannot convey a message. Another example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,906,982 wherein a wristwatch includes a preprogrammed stationary message display which is activated unpredictably on some, but not all of the occasions when a wearer's arm is raised to check the time.